Typewriting machine



R. D. DODGE TYPEWRITING MACHINE June 8, 1937.

Filed Dec. 5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WW ATTORNEY June 8, 1937. R D D D 2,083,365

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Shee cs-Sheet 3 June 8, 1937. R. D. DODGE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1-955 Patented June a 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Ronald D. Dodge, Rochester,

International Business N. Y., assignor to Machines Corporation,

- New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1935, Serial No. 52,967

, 8 Claims.

vide a typewriter adapted to print on a narrow tape.

An object is to provide tape feeding mechanism. operated by power.

Another object is to provide a novel platen suitable for use in a tape printing mechanism.

A further object is to provide a novel platen operating mechanism which causes the platen to wear evenly. 1

It is customary for radio and cable operators to use typewriters for transcribing radio'and cable messages by typewriting the letters as fast as the code signals are received. When 'ordinary page printing typewriters are used, much time is lost in the insertion of sheets of paper and the returning of the carriage, particularly when the carriage must be returned by hand. This requires that a pause of reasonable duration occur between messages'or parts of long messages in order to give the receiving operator time to insert a new sheet of paper. Naturally this slows reception of messages an appreciable amount, particularly at times when the radio or cable trafiic is heavy. 4

It has been proposed t6- use standard typewriters equipped with tape feeding mechanism whereby the messages may be typed continuously on a norrow tape like the ones now used on tape printing automatic telegraph receivers. With such a machine a radio or cable operator can type the messages continuously and allow the tape to accumulate in abasket during busy periods. Later the massage tape can be pasted on suitable forms in the usual way, or an assistant may do this as the tape emerges from the typewriter, using a suitable automatic pasting tool like those'now commonly used with automatic tape printers.

The present invention aims to provide a power driven typewriter of known form with a suitable mechanism to enable continuously printing messages on a narrow tape. Aside from the general objects outlined above, other and more specific objects and reatures will be pointed out in the following description and claims, or will be ap- 0 parent from a study of the description, claims,

and drawings.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the tape printing and feeding mechanism.

bar It corresponding to the Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 in Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 isa vertical section on line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a smaller scale showing the tape magazine.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section showing the means for actuating the tape feed rollers.

The drawings show the invention as applied to the well-known Electromatic power operated typewriter. However, this is purely for convenience of description as the invention may be used in other typewriters now on the market and some, if not all of its features, will be found useful in machines other than typewriters.

A standard "Electromatic typewriter may be used 'from which have been removed the carriage, tabulating mechanism, back-space mechanism, carriage return mechanism, and keys associated'therewith, as these mechanisms are not necessary inprinting upon tapes. The usual character keys l0 (Fig. 2) and space bar H are retained and control double lobe cam units 12b and IZa, respectively, which are associated with the usual power roller l4 which rotates constantly while the machine is in use, being driven by a suitable electric motor. The power units l2b are connected by links Hi to sub-levers l5 which actuate the type bars I6 through links Ma and toggles I! in the manner described in Patent No. 1,937,048. When any character key In is depressed, its associated cam unit l2b is operatively connected to power roller ll which then operates the cam unit. This causes'link H to be drawn'downwardly, rocking the proper sub-lever. l5 clockwise against the tension of the usual restoring spring l5a, thereby actuating the type selected key through link Ila and toggle l1.

The type bars l6 are pivotally mounted in slots in the usual wire segment l8. As it is customary in the telegraph art to print only plain Gothic letters, numerals, and the usual punctuation marks in typewriting telegrams, the segment remains in lower case position and all characters on the type bars are located in the lower case position, thus avoiding the necessity for using the shift mechanism and the usual shift keys are omitted.

However, there is no reason why the usual case shift mechanism cannot be used if it should be desired to print both upper and lower case letham or two sizes of capital letters. The usual escapement universal bar l9 described in Patent No. 1,936,466 is mounted on the rear face of segment l8. The universal bar l9, as explained in Patent No. 1,936,466 is mounted on the free ends of two leaf springs 20 mounted on two posts 2| whereby the universal bar is moved rearwardly (to the left, Fig. 2) .by the type bars I 6 when they are about to strike the platen.

In the present case the universal bar I9 is used to actuate the tape feeding mechanism instead 10 of actuating escapement mechanism.as in Patout No. 1,936,466.

The cam unit |2a. (Fig. 2) is connected a link 22 to a short bail 23 pivoted on the rod 24 on which the keys Ill, and space bar II are also pivoted. Bail 23 has a rubber buffer button 25 engaging the fixed bar 26 which supports rod.24. Bail 23 is connected by a link 21 to an arm 28 secured to one end of a short shaft 29 journaled in the frame 30, which frame also supports the cam units |2a, no, a suitable boss 30a and lug 38b being formed in said frame to support shaft 29. An arm 3| secured to the other end of shaft 29 has a stud 3|a engaging an arm 32 rotatable on a cross rod 33. Arm 32 is connected by a link 34 to the universal bar l9. Rod 33 is secured in two brackets 35, 36 (see Fig. 3 also), fixed in the framework. When the space bar II is depressed it releases the cam unit |2a for operation by the power roller 4 which then rocks said cam unit counterclockwise, drawing down link 22. This movement of link 22 is transmitted to the arm 32 through the bail 23, link 21, arm 28, Q'iaft 29, and arm 3|, causing arm 32 to move rearwardly, or to the left -n Fig. 2.

.The link 34 engages the right-hand end of a slot in the universal bar as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 whereby the link 34 may move to the left independently of the universal bar.

It is clear that the arm 32 is operated by power in two different ways, that is, by direct engagement of the type bars with the universal bar in the usual way, and by the cam unit I211. The movement of the universal bar is utilized to actuate the tape feeding mechanism and also to rotate the platen to equalize wear on said platen.

The platen and tape feed mechanisms, as well as some of the guides for the tape, are mounted on a large frame casting 31 which is mounted on the top edges of the main frame 38 in place of the usual carriage guiding rails. The-frame 31 has-a vertical split bearing housing 39 in the ends of which are located two ball or roller bearings 48 supporting a vertical shaft 4|. Secured to the upper end of this shaft is a feed roller 42 having two knurled beads or flanges 42a.

Cooperating with the feed roller 42 is a second feed roller 43 having two flanges which loosely engage the sides of the roller 42. Feed roller 43 is rotatably mounted on a ball bearing on a stud 44 secured to the underside of a hand lever 45 pivoted on a stud 46 carried by frame 31. A spring 41, anchored to one arm 45a of lever 45 and to an arm formed in a latch plate 48 se- 5 cured in frame 31, resiliently draws roller 43 against the knurled beads on roller 42. The tape 49 passes between the feed rollers 42, 43 with the beads 42a engaging the edges of the tape to prevent the rollers from smudging the characters 7 printed upon the front side of the tape.

Secured to the lower end of shaft 4| (Fig. 3),

are a ratchet wheel 59, and a collar 5|. Loosely mounted on a shoulder on collar 5| and ratchet 50, is a lever 52, (see Fig. 6 also). On one arm 7 of lever 52 is pivoted a feed pawl 53 actuated by a'spring 54 whereby the nose of the pawl engages ratchet 50. The other arm of lever 52 is connected by a link 55 to one arm of a lever 56 secured to the hub of arm 32. A pair of tubes 51 (Fig. 3) center the assembly comprising arm 32,-

lever 56, and the connecting hub on the rod 33.

An aligning lever 58 in the form of a bell crank is pivotally mounted on an eccentric shoulder in a stud 59 secured in a boss formed in frame 31. One arm of lever 58 has a small roller engageable with a tooth space in ratchet 50 while to the other arm is attached a spring 66 anchored to a pin or stud carried by the frame 31. Spring 60 holds the roller on lever 58 in engagement with the ratchet 56 and thereby insures even spacing of characters printed on tape 49 and also assists in preventing overthrow of the ratchet 5-due to momentum. By rotating stud 59, the lever 58 can be adjusted lengthwise of the arm carrying the roller (Fig. 6).

A spring 6|, connected to lever 56 and anchored to a fixed part of the framework is provided to restore lever 56 and arm 32 to the position of Fig. 2 in which position pawl 53 (Fig. 6) is held against a stop pin 62. This stop pin tends to jam the nose of pawl 62 into one of the tooth spaces of ratchet 58 thus preventing counterclockwise rotation of said ratchet.

The platen' is generally designated 63 in the drawings and, as shown in Fig. 4, consists of an assembly composed of a ring 6.4 of resilient material such as rubber, a ring of metal on which the ring 64 is forced, and a sleeve 66 on an enlargement of which the ring 65 is forced. The sleeve 66 is rotatably and slidably mounted on a stud shaft 61, received in a horizontal hole in frame casting 31.

The enlargement of sleeve 66 is shorter than the ring 65 to provide an annular recess in which is retained a ball thrust bearing 68. Secured to the right hand end of shaft 61 by a screw 61a is a shouldered washer 69 to which is secured a dust cover 19. This cover consists of a flat plate bent U-shaped with the cylindrical part brazed or welded to washer 69 and concentric with shaft 61. A shouldered-thrust washer 1| is loose on sleeve 66 adjacent the right hand ball race of the ball bearing 68 and a coil spring 12 is interposed between the thrust washer 1| and the washer 69, the shoulders on washers 69, 1| holding the ends of spring 12 concentric with shaft 61. The spring 12 thus constantly presses the'platen assembly to the left (Fig. 4) along shaft 6|. The ring 64 is beveled along its left hand edge for a purpose to be described later.

Shaft 61 is secured in the casting 31 by means of a long-shouldered stud 13 received in a vertical hole in the frame casting 31 intersecting the hole in which shaft 61 is mounted. The stud 13 has a reduced threaded portion 13a which passes through a vertical hole in shaft 61 and the shoulder at the lower end of the'reduced portion 13a butts against a flat milled in the shaft 61. A nut 14 on the portion 13a clamps both the stud 13 and shaft 61 securely in their respective holes.

The lower end of stud 13 has a reduced portion 13b on which is mounted a pair of ball bearings 15, 16 and below the portion 13b is a narrower threaded portion 130. 'An internally shouldered ring 11 is mounted on the lower bearing 16 with the internal shoulder resting upon the upper edge of the outer race of bearing 16. Mounted upon both the upper bearing 15 and the ring 11, is an eccentric bevelled cam 18 having an integral cal ' as it might be called shoulder resting on the top edge of ring 11. The inner ball race of the lower bearing 16 rests on a washer 19 on the reduced and threaded portion 13c. A pair of nuts 88, threaded on the portion 130 and abutting the washer 19, adjustably support the entire assembly comprising bearings, 15, 16, cam 18, ring 11, washer 19, and a drive gear 8| secured to cam 18.

The spring 12 holds the bevel on ring 64 against the bevel on cam 18 whereby the rotation of the cam not only causes the platen assembly to rotate, but also causes the platen to oscillate back and forth on shaft 61. In the drawings the platen 63 is arbitrarily shown in a central position with respect to the usual type bar guide 82 (Fig. 1) wherein an operated type bar IE will strike halfway between the outer edges of ring 64. Obviously, if the platen merely rotated on shaft 61, the type bars l6 would soon wear a circumferential groove in the platen. By both oscillating and rotating the platen the type bars strike along a spiral line about the periphery of the platen. The parts are so proportioned that in the normal life of the machine the spiral striking path or trace, by analogy to a term used in mathematics, will repeat only a few times, if ever, hence the wear on the distributed.

The gear meshes with a small gear 83 (Fig. 3) secured to a larger gear 84 journaled on a stud 85 carried by the underside of the casting 31.

.Gear 84 meshes with a small gear 86 fixed to member 90, once raised, rests lightly on stop 92.

shaft 4|. Thus, as the feed rollers 42, 43 rotate, the platen 63 will be ially of shaft 61 a small amount.

The tape 49 is unwound from a roll 81 (Figs. 1 and 5) loosely mounted on a stud 88 riveted to a tape magazine 89 secured to the right hand side of the machine. The roll 81 is retained in the magazine by a member 90 pivoted on a stud 9 I. Member 90 has three arms radiating from the center of stud 88 at which point the member 90 has a curved slot 900. which is open at the bottom and which loosely engages a circumferential groove in the end of stud 88. One of the arms 90b of member 90 is longer than the others and is adapted to be used as a lever for lifting member 90, 92 (see Fig. l) and rocking it on stud 9l to insert a new roll of tape. A stop 92 (see Fig. 1) secured to a lug or boss formed in the main frame 38 of the machine, limits this lifting movement to a distance sufficient to over-balance the member 99 rearwardly on the stud 9| whereby the Bolted toa lug formed in the magazine 85 is a spring guide member 93 which extends downwardly behind the paper roll. The guide member 93 is curved forwardly and upwardly atits lower end 930. to provide a smooth cylindrical surface over which the tape 49 from roll 81 is'led and guided upwardly. Adjacent the upper end of guide member 93 the tape 49 passes over a bracket 94 secured to the lug carrying member 93 with the same bolts as secure said member. A loop 940.

' is formed in bracket 94 by bending over two lugs until they meet and the tape passes throughthis loop.

- The tape 49 passes from bracket 94 to a pair of guides 95, 96 located on opposite sides of the platen 63. These guides may be brazed or welded to'a support. strip 91 mounted on brackets secured to casting 31. The strip 91 is cut away at 910 (Fig. 3) to allow room for the platen to turn and oscillate freely. The guide 95 is composed of a short flat strip bent forwardly and platen is very evenly both rotated and moved ax-' inwardly toward the center line of the tape 49 so as to loosely overlap the edges of the tape. The guide 96 is similarly shaped in cross section but is several times longer than the guide 95 and in addition is curved rearwardly and to the left as shown in Fig. 1 to guide the tape from the platen to the feed rollers 42, 43.

The latch plate 48 is spring tempered and has a long upstanding tongue 48a formed therein which isslightly curved as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6 to act as a finger piece. Finger piece 48a bears lightly against the end of the arm 45a, of hand lever 45. When hand lever 45 is moved rearwardly (Fig. 6) to disengage feed roller 43 from feed roller 42, finger piece 48a snaps forward tolatch hand lever 45. This leaves the operators hands free to thread the tape 49 through the various guides and the feed rollers 42, 43. After the threading operation is finished, the finger piece 48a is pressed rearwardly to release arm 45a and allow spring 41 to draw feed rollers 42, 43 into engagement.

While it is thought that the mode of operation of the mechanisms described above is fairly plain,

a brief general description will be .given by way of review.

When any character key I is operated, its

I2b (Fig. 2) is released for coopera- I4 in the usual way cam unit tion with the power roller and operates the appropriate type bar I6 as described. Besides printing the proper character on the tape 49, the type bar moves the universal bar I9 rearwardly (Fig. 1) or to the left (Fig. 2). This causes link 34 to move rearwardly rocking arm 32 and lever 56 55 to the right or forwardly (Fig. 6). Clockwise movement of lever 56 is limited by a lug 35a, (Figs. 2 and 3) formed in bracket 35.

This forward movement of link 55 causes the lever 52 carrying the feed pawl 53 to rock clockwisein Fig. 6 so that pawl 53 moves .idly away from pin 62 one tooth space and spring 6| is tensioned. After vthe type bar I6 strikes the platen, the usual restoring spring I a draws the type bar back to normal position and the leaf springs (Fig. 2) supporting the universal bar l9 and spring 6| restore the universal bar to its normal position. Link 55 and lever 56 are likewise restored thereby rocking lever 52 counterclockwise in Fig. 6, whereby the pawl 53 advances ratchet 50 one tooth space. The above operations result in feeding the tape 49 on letter space.

The aligning lever 58 not only prevents reverse rotation of ratchet 58 when pawl 53 moves rearwardly but also indexes ratchet 50 thus ensuring even spacing of the'characters printed on the tape.

As the feed rollers 42, 43 rotate to feed the tape 49 during typing of a message, the platen 63 is also both rotated and moved axially of shaft 61 a small amount so that the type bars l6 practically never strike twice. in exactly the same place.

When the tape 49 is to be spaced, as between words, the space bar II is operated, causing cam ,iunit l2a to move the universal bar I9 rearwardly and have the same effect as describedabove when clockwise and pushing link Cit around spring member 93, upwardly over bracket 94 through loop 94a, and to the left through the guides 95, 96. The free end of the tape is then inserted between the feed rollers 42, 43 by mov- 5 ing lever 45 rearwardly far enough to push the free end of the tape between the rollers and then released. The member 90 may then be restored to its normal position and the machine is in readiness for writing messages.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundame'ntalnovel features of the invention as applied to a single embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the-spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a typewriting machine, tape feeding mechanism; a relatively narrow platen across which the tape passes, said platen being rotatably and slidably mounted whereby the platen may 5 be oscillated along its axis of rotation; printing means cooperating with said platen to print on the tape, means to operate the printing means and feeding means, and a member having rolling engagement with the platen and operated by 30 the operating means for both rotating and oscillating the platen.

2. In a typewriting machine, tape feeding mechanism, a relatively narrow platen rotatably and slidably mounted so as to be reciprocatable 35 along its axis of rotation longitudinally of the tape and in front of which platen the tape passes, a series of type bars cooperating with the platen to print upon the tape, a universal bar responsive to movement of the type bars, and means con- 0 trolled by the universal bar for rotating and reciprocating the platen on its axis.

3. In a typewriting machine, a rotatable platen reciprocatable on its' axis of rotation, a cam adapted to both rotate and reciprocate the platen, 45 printing means cooperating with the platen to print upon a record medium in front of the platen, and means connected with the printing means for operating said cam.

4. In a typewriting machine, a platen shaft, a platen rotatably and slidably mounted on said shaft, a rotatable cam frictionally engaging one end of the platen whereby to both rotate and oscillate the platen axially of the shaft, spring means holding the platen in engagement with the cam, and means to rotate the cam successive increments whereby to cause a periodic oscillation of the platen on said shaft.

5. In a typewriting machine, tape feeding means, a device for printing on the tape including a movable platen, means to actuate both the printing device and feeding means, and means mounted independently of the platen effective.

during each operation of the printing device to simultaneously move the platen in two different directions.

6. In combination, tape feeding means, means to print on the tape, a relatively narrow platen cooperating with the printing means, said platen being rotatable in a plane transverse of-the longitudinal axis of the tape and also movable 1ongitudinally of the tape, and means mounted independently of the platen and directly engaging said platen for simultaneously rotating the platen and moving the platen longitudinally of the tape.

'7. In combination, tape feeding means, tape printing means, a rotatable platen mounted for movement longitudinally of its axis of rotation, and means to simultaneously rotate the platen and move it longitudinally including a cam mounted independently of the platen and operative to cause both movements of the platen.

8. In combination, tape feeding mechanism. tape printing mechanism, a platen cooperating with the printing means, said platen being rotatably and slidably mounted on an axis, and platen rotating means having a. rolling driving connection to the platen adapted to both rotate the platen and move it longitudinally on its axis.

RONALD D. DODGE. 

